NBA Caucus: Which favorite has toughest playoff path?

Every week, USA TODAY Sports asks its NBA experts around the country and Internet three questions about a hot topic in the league. This week, we size up the playoff bracket.

Which favorite has the hardest path in the playoffs?

Jeff Zillgitt, USA TODAY Sports: The San Antonio Spurs' attempt to reach the conference finals for third consecutive season won't be easy. They start off with the Mavericks, who won 49 games — pretty strong for an eight seed. San Antonio's second round opponent, given it beats the Dallas Mavericks, will be either the Houston Rockets or Portland Trail Blazers — who each won 54 games. And if the Spurs reach the conference finals, they likely will get the Oklahoma City Thunder or Los Angeles Clippers — two teams who battled with San Antonio for the top spot in the West for much of the year.

Ian Levy, Hickory-High.com: Everyone in the Western Conference is facing monumental challenges. As a whole the level of competition here is dramatically more potent than anything in the Eastern Conference. But if you'd have to pick one draw as the most difficult it would probably be that of the Thunder. They open with the Memphis Grizzlies, a team whose performance has been trending upward and one that has caused the Thunder problems in the past. Assuming there are no upsets, the Thunder would then have to get through the Clippers and the Spurs. It's an absolutely terrifying proposition, but someone will have to survive.

Adi Joseph, USA TODAY Sports:Man, the Thunder absolutely drew a tough spot. But the Indiana Pacers are the No. 1 seed in the East and probably will have to face the hottest team in the conference in the second round in the Chicago Bulls. Then they would have to upstage the Miami Heat, who again have the easiest path to the Finals of any team. That's tough given how bad as a whole the East is.

VIDEO: Breaking down the West race

USA TODAY Sports' Sam Amick breaks down each first-round series in the loaded Western Conference.
USA TODAY Sports

Which favorite has the easiest path in the playoffs?

Zillgitt: Operating with the caveat that no path is truly "easy," the seeds broke in the Heat's favor, as long as each series goes according to seed. In the first round, they play the Charlotte Bobcats who are 0-15 against the Heat since Chris Bosh, LeBron James and Dwyane Wade teamed up in 2010-11. If the third-seeded Toronto Raptors beat the sixth-seeded Brooklyn Nets, that's another favorable matchup for Miami. The Heat are 14-0 against the Raptors since 2010-11. Now, if Brooklyn beats Toronto, that presents a more difficult challenge for the Heat, who did not beat Brooklyn in four games this season. If Miami continues to advance, it won't see either the Pacers or Bulls until the conference finals, and if the Heat reach the NBA Finals, they will get a team from the West that just had to go through a brutal bracket filled with 50-win teams.

Levy: The Heat. If there are no upsets in the Eastern Conference the Heat would have to beat Charlotte, Toronto and Indiana to get to the Finals. This is all made much more appealing by Indiana's sudden slide into oblivion, but even with the Bulls and Nets as potential wild cards, it's hard to imagine an easier path back to the Finals than the one fate has set up for the Miami Heat.

Joseph:The Heat are the obvious and correct answer, but I really like how things shook out in the very-difficult Western Conference for the No. 1 overall seed Spurs. The four teams they can avoid until the West finals are perhaps the four most dangerous teams in the conference, and if they have any luck, the Rockets' Dwight Howard and Patrick Beverley still won't be at 100% by the time of a potential second-round matchup. They swept the No. 8 seed Mavericks in the regular season.

VIDEO: Breaking down the East race

USA TODAY Sports' Jeff Zillgitt breaks down each first-round series in an Eastern Conference that's more wide open than one might expect.
USA TODAY Sports

Which underdog has the best chance to cause an upset?

Zillgitt: In the East, it's the Brooklyn Nets but if they beat the Toronto Raptors in the first round, it won't be a huge upset. Brooklyn was close to the fifth seed, finished four games behind the Raptors and had a better winning percentage than Toronto since Jan. 1. In the West, the Golden State Warriors were a popular choice until center Andrew Bogut's injury. They are still the best option though because even though Memphis and Dallas are good, it's difficult seeing Oklahoma City and San Antonio lose in the first round.

Levy: In the first round, probably the Washington Wizards. They're barely an underdog, having finished just two games behind the Bulls in the season standings. The Wizards beat the Bulls twice in the regular season and have a matchup advantage at nearly every position but center. It should be a bruising defensive series but the speed and athleticism of John Wall and Bradley Beal could be too much for the Bulls to handle.

Joseph: I think the Grizzlies can beat the Thunder. There, I said it. The Grizzlies beat the Russell Westbrook-less Thunder last season in the second round, and Memphis probably is the fourth best team in the West when Marc Gasol is healthy. (Their 40-19 record with Gasol would have put them on pace for 56 wins and the No. 4 seed.) The Thunder are very good, but if any team can neutralize a pair of great scorers, it's Memphis. Tony Allen and Mike Conley will make life difficult for Durant and Westbrook.

GALLERY: Best one-on-one matchups of first round

The Spurs' Tim Duncan (21) and the Mavericks' Dirk Nowitzki (41) have been in-state, in-division, same-position rivals for 16 seasons now, and their first-round playoff meeting will be a familiar one. USA TODAY Sports' Adi Joseph picks 10 other one-on-one matchups you should keep an eye out for in the next two weeks. Jerome Miron, USA TODAY Sports

10. Pacers' David West vs. Hawks' Paul Millsap: These two fearsome rebounders and defenders are the emotional leaders of their teams. Millsap is the All-Star, but West never gets enough credit. Pat Lovell, USA TODAY Sports

9. Bulls' Jimmy Butler vs. Wizards' Bradley Beal: Both under 25, Butler and Beal took very different routes to being among the best young shooting guards in the NBA. Beal has the scoring ability and long-term potential, while Butler has carved out his niche with defense and efficient shooting. Geoff Burke, USA TODAY Sports

8. Raptors' Kyle Lowry vs. Nets' Deron Williams: These two point guards are the best players on their teams, and they embody how their teams play. Williams is a steady but occasionally dominating veteran, while Lowry runs opponents into the ground. Adam Hunger, USA TODAY Sports

7. Clippers' Blake Griffin vs. Warriors' Draymond Green: Griffin may be the most easily irritated star in the NBA, and no one seems to get to him quite like Green. "The Dancing Bear" is smaller but has so much strength that he can frustrate even the best. Jayne Kamin-Oncea, USA TODAY Sports

6. Rockets' Dwight Howard vs. Blazers' Robin Lopez: Portland needs a huge effort from Lopez, probably their best defender and a capable rebounder. But Howard is so strong it may not matter. Craig Mitchelldyer, USA TODAY Sports

5. Bulls' Joakim Noah vs. Wizards' Marcin Gortat: No first-round matchup is going to have more great quotes, and Gortat may be aggressive and strong enough to edge out Noah, who has put up a borderline MVP season. Geoff Burke, USA TODAY Sports

4. Thunder's Russell Westbrook vs. Grizzlies' Mike Conley: Though Westbrook has an obvious edge in natural ability, Conley may be the best defensive point guard in the league. He could frustrate Westbrook, bu he may be overwhelmed first. Mark D. Smith, USA TODAY Sports

2. Thunder's Serge Ibaka vs. Grizzlies' Marc Gasol: These two amazing defensive big men will dominate the paint in this series. Ibaka is the shot-blocker, but Gasol is 7-2 and more polished. Justin Ford, USA TODAY Sports

1. Clippers' Chris Paul vs. Warriors' Stephen Curry: They might be the two best point guards in the NBA, but they have totally different styles. Curry won't be able to stop Paul's drives, and Paul won't be able to defend Curry's shooting. Jayne Kamin-Oncea, USA TODAY Sports